BOOK REVIEW: Realm of Mindweavers- Tales of Golmeira by Marianne Ratcliffe

“A ruler is betrayed and his daughter must flee or die…

Teenage Zastra is a big disappointment to her father, Leodra, ruler of Golmeira, because she hasn’t got what it takes to become a mindweaver. Golmeira relies on its mindweavers, men and women who can manipulate the thoughts of others, to subdue its enemies. Zastra is determined to prove herself worthy of her father’s respect, but her chance comes in an unexpected manner.” (GoodReads)

It’s been a long time since I’ve written a review and today I want to talk about Realm of the Mindweavers. When I was approached last year if I was interested in reading and reviewing Marianne’s book, I said yes because it intrigued me and it did not disappoint!

In the beginning of the story we follow Zastra, the daughter of the ruler of Golmeira, who is struggling at court due to her lack of abilities as a mindweaver. This also puts a strain on her relationship with her parents. I really liked Zastra and I felt for her when she was shunned for her lack of abilities or when she was punished for defending others. She pulled through with strength and courage when things turned sour at the palace and they had to flee. Zastra was in her teens, but she grows a lot through the story and fights with all she’s got to save her siblings from those who wish them harm. Zastra is one of those characters that it’s hard not to root for; she is kind, compassionate and fierce in her own way.

On the other hand, Rastran, Zastra’s cousin, was the most annoying and hateful character in the book. Although I can understand why he became that way and felt a little sorry for him, I could not stop hating him, however I enjoyed reading him as much I enjoyed Joeffrey in Game of Thrones. Most of the other characters didn’t stay with me, quite forgettable.

The plot is well developed, yet simple, and it’s sustained by deftly fleshed characters and good writing. In the beginning I felt that the pacing of the story was a little too slow and I was awaiting for things to kick off, but when it did, it was good. The story flows really well and it is easy to read. It was quite predictable in places, especially at the beginning, however the characters did a great job in keeping me interested in finding out more and overall it was a good reading experience. I had a lot of fun reading this book.